* A few updates on offseason whereabouts of Kings players and coaches...
- Forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and assistant coach Kenny Natt are in Africa with the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.
From what I'm told, Abdur-Rahim's training continues and it's looking like his attempt at a comeback will continue into training camp.
On a somewhat related note, the Kings big man coaching job has gone unfilled and I could still see Abdur-Rahim filling that role eventually. It has been discussed informally within the halls of Kingsland, but all involved will continue to follow Abdur-Rahim's lead as his future unfolds.
- Brad Miller and Kevin Martin have been among the players training hard in Sacramento recently.
Our own photographer Hector Amezcua told me he saw Miller and his family during a State Fair visit when Jessica Simpson was performing. According to his hometown paper, he's headed back home soon for the annual Brad Miller charity golf outing with Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
As for Martin, he's about to head for Florida for his offseason training regimen with personal coach David Thorpe. Speaking of which, I'm scheduled to meet with him in Florida for a piece starting on Monday if Hurricane Ike lets me in. Martin will be looking to lose himself in hoops after dealing with a tough family loss recently when his grandfather passed. Dallas Martin - whose name is honored in grandson Kevin Dallas Martin - was 76. Best wishes to the famly.
- I'm assuming that Kings rookie forward Jason Thompson was at the recent rookie transition program in New York. The same could be said for Miami's Mario Chalmers and Memphis' Darrell Arthur, too, at least until the former fellow Kansas Jayhawks were kicked out midway through.
Needless to say, every GM in the league not named Chris Wallace or Randy Pfund was breathing a sigh of relief that it wasn't their draft pick getting in trouble. Way to take a bit of tarnish off the championship trophy, boys.
BLOG UPDATE: Chalmers and Arthur have apologized for the women, but deny the reporting of marijiuana.
GARCIA EXTENSION COMING?
The Kings have until Oct. 31 to offer Francisco Garcia an extension, but it remains all quiet on that front.
From talking to numerous sources on this topic, I'd be shocked the Kings didn't let Garcia become a restricted free agent next summer. As for his summer "vacation," Garcia has been doing his home country proud while playing for the Dominican Republic national team.
THE INFAMOUS WILLIAM PHILLIPS
Remember William Phillips? Come on, how could you forget him? He was the agent who turned down a Kings offer of $38.5 million for his client, Bonzi Wells, in 2006, leaving the guard without a contract and leading him down yet another rocky road in his career.
Well after Phillips failed so spectacularly to cash in on Wells' spectacular playoff run that season and was eventually fired by Wells, he has lost yet another high-profile client. This time, however, it wasn't his own doing. Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who has used Phillips as his representation for quite a few years, resigned today amid a cloud of controversy that just wouldn't go away. - Sam Amick
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